Libya has qualified 35 firms, including Western and Russian energy giants, to compete for operator permits in a gas-focused exploration and production licensing round, the National Oil Corp (NOC) said.

The list, published by NOC on its website, included Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Chevron, Statoil, Gaz de France, Eni, Gazprom and Lukoil.

Algeria's state-owned energy giant Sonatrach also figures among the 35.

A further 21 companies, among which Asian firms are heavily represented, were qualifed to compete as investors, it said.

Libya is offering 41 onshore and offshore blocks.

The country wants to become a major gas producer and aims to increase production to three billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) by 2010, with a potential for 3.8 bcfd by 2015, compared with 2.7 bcfd now.

Compared with other hydrocarbon provinces, Libya is under-developed because of years of international sanctions.

Demand for its gas has been boosted as Europe seeks to curb its dependence on Russia and because gas produces relatively few of the carbon emissions blamed for global warming. Reuters